Printed circuit board socket and holding frame

ABSTRACT

A socket base for plug-in recption of multiple connector tails of a printed circuit board, is formed with holder arms extending in parallel spaced relation from respective sides of the base, to collectively provide a holding frame, the arms being of channel section to receive the respective ends of the board, and being connected to the base by narrowed flexible webs to provide a hinge action in which the arms may spring apart to receive and release the circuit board from their grasp.

United States Patent Vavrick et a1. [45] Sept. 19, 1972 [54] PRINTEDCIRCUIT BOARD SOCKET FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS AND HOLDING FRAME1,079,829 8/1967 Great Britain ..339/176 MP [72] Inventors: James E.Vavrick, Mill Creek, Calif.

96061; M Barthold, 2461 Oak Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn St.,Santa Monica, Calif. 90405 Y [22] Filed: Dec. 21, 1970 57 ABSTRACT [21]Appl. No.: 100,086 A socket base for plug-in recption of multipleconnector tails of a printed circuit board, is formed with holder armsextending in parallel spaced relation from [52] (1339/75 317/101 339/176MP respective sides of the base, to collectively provide a lnt. CL"1101! frame the arms being of channel section to [58] Field ofSearch.....339ll7, 75, 176; 317/101 DH receive the respective ends ofthe board, and being connected to the base by narrowed flexible webs to[56] v References Cited provide a hinge action in which the arms mayspring apart to receive and release the circuit board from UNITED STATESPATENTS their grasp.

3,202,955 8/1965 McKee ..317/ 101 DH 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures i a 4/l 4v Q l \l a II u l'l l l 36 I I f' I j 33 l: I L C L ll 6 J 23 30 -3l. l H l 25 J ll I II II 32 PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD SOCKET AND HOLDINGFRAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectionalview of the same taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view. Referring now to the drawing in detail, Ihave shown In the present commercial art, it is the usual practice 5therein, as an eXample of one form in which the ento utilize a base unitof plain bar form having multiple connector slots with respectivecontacts provided with terminal tails connected to external circuitry,for receiving the multiple plug-in connector prongs of a printed circuitboard. An assembly of circuit board and such a base can becomeaccidentally loosened to the extent of losing the electrical connectionsbetween circuit board prongs and base contacts.

The use of retainer arms of channel section to receive and retain theends of a printed circuit board, together with separate means forholding the board against displacement away from its socket base, is disclosed in the following [1.8. Pat. No.:

Bisbing 2,993,187 (cl.339-17) Other arrangements for holding a printedcircuit board in coupled connection with its socket base, are shown inthe following US. Pat. Nos.:

French 2,825,037 (cl. 339-17) Richter 3,203,745 (cl. 312-183) SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION In the present invention, a pair of retainer arms offlanged channel section having respective relatively thin, flexibleunflanged portions joining them to the ends of a connector socket base,extend from the ends of the base in opposed, normally parallel relationfor reception of the ends of a printed circuit board. The free ends ofthe retainer arms are provided with locking lugs in the form of squaredshoulders for engaging the top corners of the board to lock it incoupled connection to the base. The retainer arms are adapted to springapart so that the ends of the board will pass the locking lugs and enterthe retainer channels of the arms. Upon insertion of the contact prongsinto the base sockets, the lugs will spring into locking engagement overthe top corners of the board so as to lock the board in place.

Objects of the invention are to provide a circuit board base withretainer arms:

1. of simple and inexpensive construction;

2. operable to spread its retainer arms when a circuit board is appliedto their upper ends, and to then guide the circuit board, first intoretaining reception of the ends of the board by the retainer arms andthen into coupling engagement of the board's prongs into the basesockets; and

3. operable automatically to effect locking engagement of the free endsof the retainer arms with the top corners of the board when the contactprongs are fully seated in their sockets.

DESCRIPTION These and other objects will become apparent in thefollowing specifications and appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a printed circuit board and bolderassembly, with portions of the holder shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, on line 2-2 of FIG.1;

tion may be embodied, an assembly of printed circuit board A, aconnector B, and a pair of retainer arms C secured to the ends ofconnector B by fastener screws, the base and arms being initiallyfabricated as separate parts. As an alternative form, the arms and basecan be molded integrally as a single part.

Circuit board A comprises a rectangular panel 11 having rectangularnotches 12 in its bottom comers, having circuit elements 13 printedthereon, and having a multiplicity of contact tails 14 connected to theelements 13 and projecting from its bottom margin in spaced, parallelarrangement.

Connector B comprises a body 20 of bar form provided with a number ofcontact sockets 21 in spaced relation such as to receive the board tailsl4, and having a corresponding number of terminals 22 connected tocontact sockets 21. Body 20 is of channel section, being formed withintegral flanges 23 projecting above the sockets 21 to define alongitudinal slot 24 in which the lower margin of board A is receivedwhen its prongs 14 are received in sockets 21. At its ends, base B isprovided with rectangular notches 25 in which the lower ends of retainerarms C are seated.

Each retainer arm C comprises an end portion 30 of block form, drilledand tapped to receive a fastener screw 31 extended through an opening inthe projecting shoulder portion 32 at a respective end of base B; anintermediate body 33 of channel section having spaced lateral flanges 34defining a slot 35 to receive a respective end margin of board A; anunflanged flexible web 36 formed as an extension of the bottom of thechannel section of intermediate body 33, extending between the body 33and the end block 30; and an integral locking lug 37 having a lockingshoulder 38 closing the upper end of slot 35.

A retainer bar 40 is attachable to the upper ends of arms C by screws 41in order to hold the arms against spreading after a board A has beeninserted.

In the installation of a board A, the retainer bar 40 is removed and thearms C are sprung apart to receive the board and to permit its ends toslide downwardly into the retainer slots 35 of intermediate arm bodies33. As the tails 14 approach the sockets 21 during such downward slidingmovement, they will be guided into the sockets by the guiding effect offlanges 34 embracing the ends of the board A and finally by thereception of the lower margin of board A between base flanges 23.Finally, the corners of end blocks 30 of arms B will seat in notches 12in the lower corners of board A while lugs 37 will clear and snapinwardly over the top corners of board A to lock it in place with tails14 received full depth in sockets 21. During the downward sliding of theboard preceding such locking, the end edges of the board will rideagainst the lugs 37, maintaining the free ends of arms C spread apart asindicated in broken lines.

To remove the board A from the holder, the upper ends of arms C areengaged by the fingers and spread apart until lugs 37 clear the uppercorners of the board. The board is then lifted out of the holder bysliding it upwardly between the arms.

of channel section having a slot to receive a 5 respective end of saidboard;

an unflanged flexible web portion constituting an extension of thebottom of said intermediate portion and joining the same to the end ofthe arm which is attached to said base;

and a locking lug on the free end of each arm, overhanging therespective slot thereof so as to engage a respective comer of said boardto retain the board in coupled relation to said base when said prongsare received in said sockets in contactmaking positions.

2. A holder as defined in claim 1, wherein each arm has, at its said oneend, an unslotted block fitted in a notch in the respective end of saidbase and secured thereto by a fastener extended through said end.

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1. A holder for a printed circuit board having a plurality of contacttails projecting from one side thereof, said holder comprising: a baseof bar form having in one side a plurality of contact sockets positionedto receive said tails; and a pair of retainer arms extending fromrespective ends of said base in opposed, normally parallel relation;said arms having their one ends secured to said base and their oppositeends free for spreading movements; each arm including a respectiveintermediate portion of channel section having a slot to receive arespective end of said board; an unflanged flexible web portionconstituting an extension of the boTtom of said intermediate portion andjoining the same to the end of the arm which is attached to said base;and a locking lug on the free end of each arm, overhanging therespective slot thereof so as to engage a respective corner of saidboard to retain the board in coupled relation to said base when saidprongs are received in said sockets in contact-making positions.
 2. Aholder as defined in claim 1, wherein each arm has, at its said one end,an unslotted block fitted in a notch in the respective end of said baseand secured thereto by a fastener extended through said end.